Cyclocross arena for San Jose

Joe Carpenter of San Jose and Murphy Mack of San Francisco have been working on a proposal for a 60 acre cyclocross park for San Jose. They say they’ve received a “go ahead” to create this new CX venue from San Jose city staff.

This diagram shows a conceptual diagram for the proposed arena, which is tucked between Hedding and Taylor Streets just north of downtown San Jose and south of SJC Airport. It is super accessible via the Guadalupe River Trail which connects downtown with SJC airport, so you have easy access from Caltrain, ACE, Amtrak, light rail, and the airport. Several major roads, expressways and highways — Central Expressway, San Tomas Expressway, 82, 87, 101, 280 and 880 — also converge within about a mile or two of this park.

Mack says he got essential buy-in from the San Jose Parks Foundation, Guadalupe River Park Conservancy, the San Jose Police Department, and San Jose city councilman Sam Liccardo, who represents the downtown district. They don’t come right out and say it, but I imagine the large homeless camp at Guadalupe Gardens may have figured into the city’s motivation to find another use for that park.

Mack and Carpenter says this venue will be open every day. Mack notes “If we want to keep it, we have to use it. A lot.” I don’t have information on planned completion for this CX track.

About a zillion people have already suggested that they integrate a pump track into this park. Carpenter points out that a pump track is already planned for Lake Cunningham Skate Park way out at the eastern end of Tully Road in San Jose.

Yes, I believe it will happen this year, I made the grave mistake in telling my husband that if he makes it happen and there is a race on the Guadalupe course I will race CCX…I think I better get my spandex and my unicorn costume ready because I fear I’m gonna be galloping over some barriers this year.